Nintendo and DeNA’s First Mobile Game is Miitomo, Launch Delayed to 2016

During an investor meeting today, Nintendo announced that its first smartphone project in partnership with DeNA will be titled Miitomo.

According to a translation by The Wall Street Journal, Miitomo "will be free to play, with attractive add-ons that people can pay for," while other smartphone games "will be pay-to-download," according to new Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima.

(UPDATE: Following the presentation, Nintendo said in a statement that Miitomo is "a free-to-start communication application that helps friends share fun personal facts and interests. Consumers create and use their own Mii characters to engage friends in a welcoming social environment, answering questions and sharing information to discover more about each other and what they have in common. Miitomo is designed to appeal to a wide range of global smart device users and introduce them to uniquely Nintendo experiences beginning with Miitomo and carried through future applications.")

Nintendo and Dena’s First Mobile Game Is Miitomo

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Nintendo and Dena’s First Mobile Game Is Miitomo

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Nintendo confirmed that its mobile titles won't launch until March 2016, rather than the end of this year as previously expected. Mr. Kimishima said the delay is due to "the need for more lead time to fully promote and explain Miitomo." Nintendo is focused on its 3DS and Wii U titles at the moment and will start promoting Miitomo after the holiday season.

The title Miitomo and the screenshots shown above could suggest a link to Tomodachi Life, which came to Nintendo 3DS in Japan in April 2013, with Western versions following in June 2014.

Exit Theatre Mode

Nintendo’s partnership with DeNA was first announced in March. At the time, Nintendo said development would be handled “mainly by Nintendo,” while DeNA would be “primarily responsible for the service-oriented operations.” The partnership promises five new titles by March 2017, though some analysts predict the “bigger” franchises won’t be revealed until next year.